It's time to separate the sponsor from the sport

Much like the movement to save the Arctic, Grand Prix fans are made up of all sorts of people. I would know — I was a big fan of the sport growing up. Is it possible that a lifelong environmental and social justice activist can harbor a secret love of racing? I’d like to think we embrace diversity in the movement and celebrate different points of view. In fact, I bet there are plenty of environmentalists in the grandstands at the F1 today, just as there are many secret F1 fans in Greenpeace!

My interest in F1 started way back when I had a roommate who absolutely loved it — she would sometimes get up at 2 o'clock in the morning just to watch it. And before long, she got me hooked, too. So I can certainly respect the technology, sportsmanship and innovation that are at the heart of the Formula One Grand Prix.

But what I can’t respect is what the sponsor of the event, Shell, is doing to the Arctic. Far from a legacy of victory, Shell has been leading the race for extreme fossil fuels all over the world, from fracking in my home country of South Africa, to spilling oil in the Niger Delta, to devastating Indigenous communities in Canada’s tar sands and — last but not least — risking everything to get at the oil that the melting Arctic is opening up.

Shell has proven time and again that it will cut the most dangerous corners in the race for the last drops of oil on the planet.

But while Shell is accelerating into a hairpin turn with faulty brakes, the rest of us are in a different kind of race — the race to protect the Arctic from an oil spill that would devastate this fragile region. Every driver knows that oil on the track spells disaster; an oil spill in the Arctic would be catastrophic.

Scientists are telling us that the Arctic is spinning out of control. As the planet warms, the ice melts, and Shell and other companies move in to drill for more of the oil, which warms the planet, which melts the ice. It’s a vicious circle, insanity and greed at its very worst, and we have to stop it.

All life on earth relies on the Arctic ice sheet to stabilise the global climate by reflecting the sun’s heat back into space — without it, we are facing a very different world. That is why in the last year, nearly four million people from all over the world have joined the movement to save the Arctic, and to stand up to Shell and the other companies gunning for a piece of the pie.

This is not the kind of business that earns a company a spot on the podium. But together we can make sure the truth of Shell's dirty Arctic dealings gets out there.

Join us in sending a message to Shell that the Arctic is not its test track. Tell Shell that you can love F1 and polar bears, too. If we work together, we canSave the Arctic and avert catastrophic climate change.

Dear Sir, I think you were unfair, attempting to sabotage Shell`s Grand Prix. Perhaps a different platform, one more relevant to the arctic issue woul...

Dear Sir, I think you were unfair, attempting to sabotage Shell`s Grand Prix. Perhaps a different platform, one more relevant to the arctic issue would have been acceptable -not F1. I am not sure if you are aware, but F1 has introduced a host of changes to make it greener for next year. Examples would be a 100 KG limit on fuel for a race, introduction of more energy recovery systems. Hear me, i do not disagree with you on saving the arctic, you just did it in the wrong place at the wrong time. You may have alienated a lot of people from Greenpeace here, but that's your concern.

A fair analogy I believe would be if you have only 10 kilo of rice, an...

I think you do not understand the scope of the problem, jakkals.

A fair analogy I believe would be if you have only 10 kilo of rice, and maybe a few onions, to eat for an entire year. You would do everything you can to conserve that nutrition; you probably would not waste a single grain of rice. You would probably lick your plate clean, and then wipe out the pot with your finger and lick that clean too.

As the arctic climate becomes unbalanced so does the climate of the entire Earth. Agriculture becomes less stable with changing seasons, with drought and in some locales increase of rainfall. Along with greater instability of agriculture comes greater instability of economies; hungry people are desperate people and desperation brings mistakes.

You would do everything you can to conserve that nutrition. Perhaps too simply, we are facing fundamental change of civilization. Yes, people and civilizations both change, but we can face these changes with eyes opened or eyes closed. We collectively can do everything we can to conserve the health of our planet as we have grown with for many, many thousands of years.

On this point I would admonish Kumi. F-1 racing can be exciting, true, but the excitement does not last, and does not last as long as its harmful consequences do. There are more durable and healthy ways to get that rush. Farm. Garden. Cleanly rehab or build a house. Recycle material that ordinarily would not be recycled. Looking back on many jobs well done can be as satisfying or more.

You would do everything you can to conserve that nutrition. We can do everything we can to conserve the health of our planet.

It not only has backfired you, the F1 fans !!! Same happened for many other people who are getting tired of their media horniness !!

Whe...

It not only has backfired you, the F1 fans !!! Same happened for many other people who are getting tired of their media horniness !!

When they have some of their events ................ they are SO proud an publicate it everywhere !!

When something wents wrong...............they start crying like a teethless grandgrandmother or a baby who lost its pacifier........

Like now in Russia !!! Can you imagine the cruelty of russian prisons ??? Staying Alone in a cell without TV, video, fitness studio........ all this came as a BIG surprise for their activists (I could have told them in advance, but I was not asked) and now Greenpeace refers even to experts like Dr. !!! Vladimir Putin !!!!!!

I will enjoy the Court sesion which according to russian law will happen after 2 months imprisonment during november.............

What a load of hypocritical gibberish again. Better crawl back into your sad corner and contemplate what are you gonna do about those Russians that ki...

What a load of hypocritical gibberish again. Better crawl back into your sad corner and contemplate what are you gonna do about those Russians that kicked your sore asses again. I guess we'll not see a lot of action against Rosneft anymore in the near future, same as action against Gazprom has been non-existent after they gave you idiots a good shower of cold water and heavy objects back on that Prirazlomnaya platform? Yes, right, get after Shell, much safer, and screw the facts. Brave as a pack of rats you are, green piss, really brave.

Again some true words from a human being............. maybe SO stupid to drive a car, heat it's home with gas or oil and use electricity for compu...

Again some true words from a human being............. maybe SO stupid to drive a car, heat it's home with gas or oil and use electricity for computer or maybe just during night when you have to do pipi............ Shame on you !!!!

See how Greenpiss is using dieseloil and 2-stroke engine bensin from BP............. this is NOT polluting at all !!! Maybe it even cleans the white arctic area !!???

And then see these russian brutal agressors !! Maybe their petrol for their vessel defending russian territory was not powered from Gazprom but other russian oil company............ But they and especially the helicopter they used to teach these idiots a lesson are polluting VERY much !!!

I liked your words................. What a load of hypocritical gibberish or you could have shortened it: Green piss !!!

Half the globe has disliked them already before !!! Now it is more people.............

They claim to know what is BEST for all of us !!!...

Half the globe has disliked them already before !!! Now it is more people.............

They claim to know what is BEST for all of us !!! But they do NOTHING else than stupid actions around the globe to get some time in medias............

I still wonder what their stupid banner at Hamburgs Elbphilharmony has changed........ !!!???

These people better should sign a contract with Red Bull to get satisfied their wishes about adrenalin kicks !!!

What a stupidity to try to board a russian oil rigg when they have got MORE than LOT of warnings from russian authorities !!!

In Moscow at Headquarters of Gazprom they protest with ONE person !!!! Why ???
Because they do not dare to arrange their stupid protests there wellknowing what russians reaction will be............. Soon russians can have jail only for Greenpiss activists..........

Thanks for nothing, you have gained nothing on this.
You risk costing the circuit many millions, not shell but Spa-Franchorchamps. I believe im...

Thanks for nothing, you have gained nothing on this.
You risk costing the circuit many millions, not shell but Spa-Franchorchamps. I believe im not the only F1 fan with this point of view, all you get with this is more people who will say you are all a bunch of hippie bastards.

Thx a lot for your words !! Isn't also a sucess if some more people get opened their eyes about whta Greenpiss really is ???

They n...

Thx a lot for your words !! Isn't also a sucess if some more people get opened their eyes about whta Greenpiss really is ???

They need media presence for their actions and they feel like "heroes" when they do their stupid stunts........... but they are achiving NOTHING !!!

And when something goes wrong in their opinion they start lamentating and crying like old grandmothers or babiy who lost its pacifier........... THIS is Greenpiss pattern !!! They cannot/are not willing to answer very simple questions, but they keep going on with their stupid phrases................ Save the Arctis from Shell and Gazprom................by using fuel from BP !!??? The criteria of brain death is accepted in many countries............ so do not worry for these people................ :-)